Vacation.

Vacation. It’s a great word.  A great concept.  A great practice.  Mike and I are on vacation right now.  Though I’m tempted to write about the end of the summer missions project, the art exhibition, and sending the students home, I’m successfully resisting.  I can let those words pour out in a few days.  But right now, I’m chillin’ out.

We left NYC on Thursday and headed out to Montauk, a small beach town at the end of Long Island’s south fork.  I grew up coming out here with my family, and we have a small get-away (a mobile home) on the beach.  It’s our family’s slice of paradise.  Our little community has been in the news recently.  Check out this article from the NY Daily News.

One of the great things about this community is that it sits right on the beach.  On one side is the East Deck Motel at Ditch Plains, a surfer’s paradise, and on the left are private homes, but only one is visible.  That means we have an expanse of relatively private, undiscovered beach.  It’s delightful.  Some years we have a sandy beach (last year!), while other years its a rocky beach (this year).

Mike at Montauk 2010

We’re having a wonderful vacation out here.  After a few household errands in the morning, I spent the afternoon on the beach.  It was wonderfully empty on a weekday.  I had my umbrella, chair, a good book and a diet coke.  When I tired of sitting in the chair in the shade, I’d move to the bed sheet that I secured on the sand with stones so it wouldn’t blow away.  After a quick nap, I’d return to my novel.  I spent *hours* on the beach.  (Yes, I wore sunscreen: SPF 30.) Mike joined me later in the afternoon before sunset.  The two of us, in our chairs, with our books.  Warm in the sun.  sigh.  What a perfect day.

I read a few more chapters in my novel while Mike went back to shower and start the grill.  By the time I packed up the remnants of my perfect afternoon, he had set the table on deck for dinner, the turkey burgers were ready for the flames, and Beethoven quietly serenaded us!  I quickly showered and then we enjoyed his feast.  He’s so good on the grill!

Yesterday our neighbor gave us 2 dozen clams.  Guess I’ll learn how to do something with clams tomorrow!